Xcellerated Speed Traininghttp://www.xspeedtraining.com
Excellence Is A Commitment, Not An OptionMon, 11 Sep 2017 17:38:24 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.2Xcellerated Speed TrainingHealth/Alternative HealthXcelleratedSpeedTraininghttps://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with PodnovaSubscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with ODEOSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PlusmoSubscribe with The Free DictionarySubscribe with Bitty BrowserSubscribe with Live.comSubscribe with Excite MIXSubscribe with WebwagSubscribe with Podcast ReadySubscribe with WikioSubscribe with Daily RotationExcellence Is A Commitment, Not An Option8 Secrets of Fit Business Travelershttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/XcelleratedSpeedTraining/~3/JCD1ABFIqoc/
Mon, 11 Sep 2017 17:35:24 +0000Tony Sabanoshttp://www.xspeedtraining.com/?p=3592

It’s easy to fall off track when traveling for work. Not only must you break from a home routine that hopefully keeps you happy and healthy, but you’re also faced with work-related stressors, including long days of sitting in meetings, aches and pains from airline travel and different beds and, potentially, a battle with jet lag. But you don’t have to neglect your fitness even when traveling for business. Consider the following tips for staying fit on the road:

1.Embrace your surroundings.

Even if you’re “on the clock,” it’s important to find some time to explore and sightsee. This doesn’t have to be an epic walk through downtown Chicago or the hills of San Francisco – though that would certainly be great! Simply taking a walk in the neighborhood surrounding your hotel is enough to get your blood pumping and give you an opportunity to take in some of the local flavor.

2. Get outside.

If you have some downtime between sales calls, seek some adventure. Go kayaking. Find a local hiking trail and head out into the woods for a break from the modern world. Go swimming in the hotel pool. Rent a bicycle and go for an early morning ride before your first meeting. Or, if your family joined you, set aside time to take a long walk along the water’s edge looking for seashells with your kids or to swim in the ocean and try to catch some waves.

3. Plan movement opportunities each day.

It’s easy for business travelers to remain fairly sedentary for work and eat less-than-healthy foods while on the go or while networking in the evenings. If possible, choose a hotel with a nice fitness center that is open at the hours that best suit your schedule, and then schedule those workouts so they’re as prominent on your calendar as your other responsibilities. You can also perform bodyweight exercises or pack small exercise equipment – such as a yoga mat, resistance bands or suspension training system – that you can use in your hotel room. And don’t forget your running shoes and workout clothes.

4. Add movement in small ways.

Finding ways to incorporate some additional movement into an otherwise sedentary day is important. It may sound cliche, but taking the stairs in the hotel, conducting walking meetings, parking far from your destination and even walking in the airport during layovers can add much-needed movement to your time away.

5. Use a pedometer or fitness tracker.

Keeping tabs on your physical activity is a great way to ensure that you don’t fall completely off track while traveling. You don’t necessarily need to hit your usual targets, but watching your numbers and adding an evening activity is a great way to counterbalance a slow day. Don’t forget, however, that most of these devices are not waterproof, so be sure to remove them before diving in the hotel pool or hitting the beach.

6. Do something!

Doing something – even if it’s below your usual activity level – is always better than nothing. You may not get the same duration or intensity during your workouts when you’re traveling, but you can aim for weight and fitness maintenance during a business trip. Remember: It doesn’t take long for gains in strength or cardiorespiratory fitness to take a hit during a period of inactivity. By performing some activity while on the road, you may be able to avoid having to regain lost fitness when you get home.

7. Stay hydrated.

This may seem obvious, but many people forget to stay hydrated while traveling – especially if they’re visiting a warmer, more humid environment than the one back home. Be sure to bring plenty of water if you’ll be sitting in meetings at a conference or in your car making calls. Staying properly hydrated is a key element of good health.

8. Have fun!

Traveling is a great opportunity to try new types of physical activity and to explore an environment that may be very different from your usual surroundings. If possible, hike in the mountains, go tubing in the river or swim in the ocean. At the very least, walk downtown in a big city and try the local cuisine. The possibilities are endless when you’re in a new place – so seize them!

These are some great ideas and this is a great article found on U.S News and written by Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D. Contributor. If you need some help organizing your workout schedule, feel free to call us at 610 334-4120.

Brain scans showed that these changes were particularly pronounced in sports that have the greatest risk of body contact.

“There is growing concern about the risk of collisions in sport. However, most of the research has focused on retired professional athletes with decades of exposure to head impacts,” said lead researcher Nathan Churchill. He’s a post-doctoral fellow in the neuroscience research program at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

“Far less is known about the consequences of repeated body-to-body contact for young, active athletes,” he said.

In a group of college athletes, researchers found differences in the brains of both men and women for a variety of contact and collision sports, compared with those in non-contact sports, Churchill said.

Participants in this study didn’t report major health problems. This suggests that the biological effects of collisions don’t lead to impaired day-to-day function, he said.

At least one emergency room specialist had some reassuring thoughts on the study. He pointed out that the brain is able to repair itself, and the changes seen in this study were so slight that they didn’t even cause symptoms.

The report was published online Aug. 22 in the journal Frontiers of Neurology.

For the study, Churchill and his colleagues scanned the brains of 65 varsity athletes before the playing season began.

“None of the participants had a recent concussion or any major health issues,” Churchill said.

Among the young men and women in the study, 23 played collision sports, such as football and ice hockey, involving routine body-to-body contact.

Twenty-two played contact sports where contact is allowed but isn’t a necessary part of the game, such as basketball, soccer and field hockey. Twenty played non-contact sports, such as volleyball.

The brain scans showed that people who played collision and contact sports had differences in brain structure and function compared to people who took part in non-contact sports.

“They also showed changes in brain chemicals that are usually associated with concussion and brain injury,” Churchill said.

These differences included changes in the structure of the brain’s white matter, the fibers that connect different parts of the brain, allowing them to communicate with each another.

Compared with people in non-contact sports, those who played sports involving a lot of body contact also had signs of reduced communication between brain areas, the study authors said.

In addition, athletes in sports with higher levels of contact had signs of decreased activity in brain areas involved in vision and motor function, the researchers found.

“The effects of contact sports on the brain are seen not just in retired professional athletes from high-risk sports, but also among young, early career athletes who are otherwise healthy,” Churchill said.

“This study gives us an important window into how the brains of young, healthy athletes are affected by collisions in sport,” he added.

This is a step towards understanding the long-term consequences of repeated head impacts, “and may help us better understand why a small number of athletes in contact and collision sports go on to develop significant health problems,” he said.

One specialist thinks this study doesn’t go far enough in accounting for the consequences of these changes in the brain that result from playing contact sports.

“The researchers’ findings don’t account for sub-concussive impacts, which are problematic and difficult to quantify in terms of their immediate and long-term effects in college-level athletes,” said Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

The role of prior concussions and head trauma may also figure into long-term mental function — something the study authors tried to control for, but is still a limitation of this research, he said.

Although abnormal findings on an MRI may draw attention to structural as well as chemical changes caused by contact, “what we find is that they don’t correlate with the clinical picture of an athlete immediately in terms of day-to-day functioning,” Glatter said.

The brain is able to repair itself, Glatter noted. “It’s more important to look at their symptoms and clinical picture after an impact to truly evaluate whether such structural changes are meaningful in the big picture,” he said.

Contact sports that involve potential body contact — such as soccer, basketball and field hockey — may also place athletes at risk for structural brain injury, Glatter said.

“What we don’t know are the long-term effects clinically. This certainly deserves additional study,” he said.

Recent research has found that recurring blows to the head can cause mild traumatic brain injury. Over time, this can lead to progressive brain disorders like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and create problems with mood and movement.

A study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 110 of 111 brains of deceased National Football League players whose brains were autopsied showed signs of CTE. Currently, the disease can only be diagnosed with an autopsy, but scientists are seeking to improve detection.

This is a great article written by Steven Reinberg, Healthday Reporter.

]]>http://www.xspeedtraining.com/2017/more-evidence-contact-sports-can-affect-the-brain-a/Foam Rollers: One of the Most Beneficial Tools for an Athletehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/XcelleratedSpeedTraining/~3/lLDEWUH3Bh0/
http://www.xspeedtraining.com/2017/foam-rollers-one-of-the-most-beneficial-tools-for-an-athlete/#respondWed, 12 Jul 2017 19:09:16 +0000Tony Sabanoshttp://www.xspeedtraining.com/?p=3579If your an athlete you probably have sustained some form of injury throughout your time on the field. Years ago the way most athletes dealt with injuries was to either rest until the injury healed or electrical stimulation or massage. The times have changed for athletes today, it is a vastly different world we live in now. The days of playing just one sport and having the rest of the year to play multiple sports or rest have fallen by the wayside. Typically today’s athletes train all year round for the same sport, with the additions of travel teams, club teams, rec leagues and so forth an athlete is training 24/7. While many in an organization will say playing all year round has it’s benefits, it also has it’s fair share of detriments as well. The problem with training all year round for the same sport is that the body never gets enough time to recover from the vigorous activity and therefore can lead to multiple over-use injuries. When an athlete plays multiple sports it typically allows the body to move in different ways and develop other parts of the body that may be lagging, which is why cross-training for a sport is now a favored modality. The other challenge is that a fair amount of coaches actually have no idea how to train properly for their specific sport. One example of this is a soccer coach having their team run distances further than a mile when the sport involves short ballistic movements. This causes the players to become slower to the ball rather than faster. There are far too many examples to list, but this is why you should consult a TRAINED PROFESSIONAL who actually understands the needs of the sport and team. As a result of improper training protocol and insufficient recovery times, athletes have to rely on other means to treat problems they are having. This is where the foam roller comes into play.

The foam roller, or self myofascial release is a great tool for lengthening and elongating the muscles that are sore and tired. Instead of simply lengthening the muscles, it massages the muscles intensely similar to that of a massage therapist. The foam roller is sort of like utilizing a rolling pin on pizza dough. Typically you want to roll each area of the body trying to see where your problems may lie and then work on working on those areas that are most painful. You can also buy foam rollers which have hard nodules on them aka “Rumble Roller”. These are my personal favorite because they are harder and more dense, plus they don’t lose their shape as much as the softer versions do. If you are using the Rumble Roller you can also use the nodules on the painful areas much like trigger point work to be able to get the muscle to relax, thus decreasing your pain. These rollers typically are a little more painful to start, however the more you do it the less it hurts. The foam roller is not a cure all, it is merely a tool to be used by athletes, much like proper nutrition, training, stretching, warming up and so forth.

Some of the common injured areas I typically see are the low back issues, quads, hamstrings, iliotibial band, calfs, and shin splints. If you look at your anatomy chart you will see that these are all interconnected to one another and usually are related. A fair amount of problems start at the hips and work their way down to the lower extremities. The foam roller is a great way to determine potential issues in an individual to prevent a catastrophic injury later on. If you know of an athlete or anyone who is in pain with an injury, tell them to reach out to Xcellerated Speed Training at 610 334-4120. I would be more than happy to help you eliminate the pain your having and get you back to feeling like your old self again.

It is a great honor to present the first ever Xcellerated Speed Training Scholarship award. This scholarship was developed to reward students for their hard work and dedication on and off the field. The requirements of this scholarship are rigorous. A student must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5, been a member of the Oley Valley Field Hockey program for 4 years, have participated in Xcellerated Speed Training’s training protocol, been a role model on the field and off the field, and have spent time volunteering in the community.

The individual receiving this award has exceeded all of the above qualifications of the scholarship and is one of the hardest working individuals I know. She has been the captain of the field hockey team, President of the Spanish Club and member of the National Honor Society. She is also in Student Council and can always be seen at sporting events cheering on her classmates.

I am proud to have been able to train her, and I have no doubt she is going to achieve many great things in her lifetime, which I hope to watch take place. It is with distinct pleasure that I award this Xcellerated Speed Training scholarhip to Samantha Buzalewski. She will attending Wake Forest University in the fall and will be playing for their field hockey program.

On paper, losing weight seems simple: Eat less, move more. So why are most people not seeing results?

While there are many possible reasons or combination of reasons – people are stressed, only half-heartedly committed, short on money and time, or living with chronic medical conditions – one reason tends to be overlooked: Some people are working out too much.

In the past few years, I have seen a huge change in the fitness world and the way we work out. We have become obsessed with more exercise – more cardio, heavier weights, stricter diets and more classes. I’ve seen it with my clients and my students. It’s become an all-or-nothing way of thinking. Like an Olympic sprinter, they blast off from the starting block and give maximum effort with their focus on the finish line. Only this isn’t a 100-meter dash, and they aren’t Usain Bolt.

The problem? If you do three classes in one day or add an extra hour of cardio, slash your calorie intake, attend the most hyped class in your city and weigh and measure yourself weekly, at some point, you hit a wall. You gain weight, you slack off in your classes, you get discouraged, your life seems defined by how many classes you can do and you are out of control. And, guess what? You give up. It’s a cycle that ultimately leads nowhere.

So, put on the brakes, go for a (short, easy) jog and give yourself the opportunity to be successful. Ask yourself: Are your workouts really working?

First, consider how much energy you’re expending working out versus doing other activities like walking to work, taking the stairs, cleaning your house and mowing the lawn. All these things burn calories, too. Yes, taking two spin classes in a row torches calories, but what’s the point if you can barely keep your eyes open 30 minutes later? You end up telling yourself that it’s OK to put off cleaning the house or walking to the park, and you miss out on all the other ways to expend your energy.

Next, think about how you feel after long, intense workouts. Chances are you are famished. Fueling your body is crucial to aiding the recovery process, but after overtraining at a high intensity for too long, you are more likely to experience food cravings, decreased self-control and lower metabolism. In other words, you’re more likely to grab that piece of cake or finish a bag of your favorite potato chips – and quickly counteract any caloric deficit you worked so hard to achieve.

Finally, by approaching your workouts like a sprinter, you’re setting your body up for burnout. While you may feel fine at the beginning, eventually, your knees will start to ache, you won’t be able to get rid of your cold and you’ll end up spending more time in physical therapy than in the gym. That’s because without adequate recovery, your central nervous system sends out signals designed to protect your body. As a result, fatigue will set in, and your muscles will start to feel weak and tired. Instead of sprinting, you’ll be dragging yourself to the finish line.

So what do you do?

1. Listen to your body.

If you’re always feeling achy, tired and unmotivated, listen to what your body is telling you. Maybe it’s time to skip that second spin class or boot camp. Instead, schedule in some other activities that require energy. Take a long walk in the park, play with your kids or go out for a night of dancing. By listening to your body, you are helping yourself stay on track and giving yourself the opportunity to be happier while doing so.

2. Ask yourself why.

Ask yourself why you might have gotten into the habit of overtraining to begin with. If it makes you feel happy and gives you the high you crave, find something else that might make you happy like a massage, a tap class or a casual basketball game with friends. If you’re just a “go hard or go home” type of person, remember that going hard requires adequate recovery time. Treat yourself to a spa day or replace your workout with a day of stretching.

3. Know that less is sometimes more.

When it comes to being successful and reaching your goals, it’s important to find balance. It’s OK to have those intense days, as long as you balance them out with something that will challenge your body in a different way. Work out for short, intense periods, try a Pilates class or go for a swim. Remember, better health is a process that takes time. It’s not always easy, but with the right amount and intensity of exercise, a healthy diet and lifestyle, every day you will be a step closer to your goals.

This is a great article on overtraining written by Adam Sanford for U.S. News, it hits a lot of the components as to why people fail when they overtrain. If you find yourself in a rut or overtraining and need some guidance, please contact Xcellerated Speed Training at 610 334-4120

]]>http://www.xspeedtraining.com/2017/are-you-overtraining-yourself-fat/feed/0http://www.xspeedtraining.com/2017/are-you-overtraining-yourself-fat/Obesity May Cause 11 Types of Cancer, Review Findshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/XcelleratedSpeedTraining/~3/rYkjiOZk2tk/
Thu, 16 Mar 2017 19:08:41 +0000Tony Sabanoshttp://www.xspeedtraining.com/?p=3560People who are obese have a greater risk of developing and dying from several types of cancer including malignancies of the breast, ovary, kidney, pancreas, colon, rectum and bone marrow, a research review confirms.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled over the past generation. Even though excess weight is thought to influence the odds of developing and dying from a wide variety of tumors, the study found “strong evidence” supporting this connection for just 11 cancers.

“Other associations could also be genuine, but there is still substantial uncertainty about them,” lead study author Dr. Maria Kyrgiou of Imperial College London said by email.

Globally, 1.9 billion adults are overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organization. Roughly four in 10 adults are overweight, and more than one in 10 are obese, a condition that increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, kidney problems and joint disorders in addition to certain cancers.

For the current study, researchers analyzed results from 204 previously published studies exploring the connection between obesity, weight gain, waist circumference and 36 different cancers.

Researchers looked in particular for evidence that the previous results might have exaggerated the link between obesity and cancer or found a connection that was too small to rule out the possibility that it was due to chance.

They found the strongest links were between obesity and malignancies of the digestive organs and for hormone-related tumors in women, according to the report in The BMJ.

When researchers looked at what’s known as body mass index (BMI), a ratio of weight to height, they found increases in BMI tied to a higher risk of developing cancers in the esophagus, bone marrow, biliary tract system, pancreas and kidney. Upticks in BMI were also linked to greater odds of colon and rectal cancers in men as well as endometrial malignancies in younger women.

A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a healthy weight, while 25 to 29.9 is overweight, 30 or above is obese and 40 or higher is what’s known as morbidly obese.

The increased risk of cancer for every 5-unit gain in BMI ranged from 9 percent for rectal cancer among men to 56 percent for tumors in the biliary tract system.

For women, weight gain and extra belly fat, a measurement known as waist-to-hip circumference ratio, were also associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.

After menopause, women’s risk of breast cancer increased by 11 percent for every 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of weight they gained during adulthood. This was in women who didn’t take hormones to ease menopause symptoms, a treatment that is independently linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.

As women added more fat around the midsection, every 0.1 unit increase in waist-to-hip ratio was associated with a 21 percent jump in the odds of endometrial cancer.

Researchers found strong evidence linking weight gain to colorectal cancer. They also found a strong connection between BMI increases and getting cancers of the gallbladder, stomach and ovaries, as well as dying from bone marrow tumors.

One limitation of the study is that researchers didn’t examine controlled experiments designed to prove that obesity directly causes cancer, the authors note.

More research is needed that assesses changes in body fat over time to better understand how obesity directly influences the risk of getting cancer or dying from the disease, the authors conclude.

The way obesity impacts the risk of cancer also varies in different parts of the body, Dr. Graham Colditz, a researcher at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said by email.

But the take-home message is the same for every patient, added Colditz, author of an editorial accompanying the study.

“Avoiding weight gain through adult years is important,” Colditz said. “Even if you are overweight focus first on not gaining any more weight; for those who are overweight or obese taking off some pounds can lower cancer risk.”

This is a great article by Reuters found on the NBC website. It shows that exercise and nutrition are important at any age in order to stay alive and well.

]]>http://www.xspeedtraining.com/2017/obesity-may-cause-11-types-of-cancer-review-finds/6 Ways to Age Well and Save Money Doing Ithttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/XcelleratedSpeedTraining/~3/NLOPaB15c64/
Wed, 15 Feb 2017 16:40:15 +0000Tony Sabanoshttp://www.xspeedtraining.com/?p=3557Don’t let money troubles bury your health in the Golden years. Health care costs can snowball as a person ages, and the added stress of those big bills can further tax one’s health. To age well, experts say, it’s often helpful to consider money matters along with making healthy choices. “What you want to do as you get older is both be healthy and have a healthy bank account,” says Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic, who co-authored the forthcoming book “AgeProof: Living Longer with Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip.” In addition to saving for retirement and choosing the right retirement plan, here are ways you can simultaneously work toward both those goals.

Manage your stress – including that related to money. Chronic stress can accelerate the aging process and worsen health problems. But there is no one-size-fits-all cure for this ubiquitous health concern. Instead, Roizen notes it’s important to distinguish stress from different sources, and address it accordingly. For example, for some of the day-to-day stresses that you encounter at work or home, meditation may help. But for financial stress – for which, he notes, medical care costs are the leading cause – it’s important to approach the problem with a concrete plan. Money woes can loom particularly large for those entering retirement, so develop a budget to address which debts you need to pay off first and ways to increase savings.

Exercise in place. Staying physically active can help prevent and manage chronic diseases, like diabetes, which become more prevalent with age. While some may spring for a gym membership or require rehab for a medical issue, it’s generally possible to be active right where you are, which can save you time and money. It could be doing leg extensions sitting on a kitchen chair or squats without added weight. Or just walk around your neighborhood, say Marcia Ory, associate dean of research at the Texas A&M School of Public Health. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise – like brisk walking – weekly, and talk to your doctor regarding any concerns about physical limitations.

Practice portion control. Pass on the heaping helping. “Americans eat way more food than they ever need to eat, ” says Ory, who directs Texas A&M’s Center for Population Health and Aging. You don’t have to drastically cut calories to see health benefits, either. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend active men over 65 need 2,600 calories daily, while sedentary men require just 2,000; for women, it’s 2,000, if active, and 1,600 if sedentary. “Portion control is really a way of maintaining a more healthy weight,” she says, which can improve health and longevity and reduce chronic disease – saving you money in the short- and long-term.

Join a community garden. Growing your own food can be a great way to save cabbage while eating more veggies. In addition to that and the opportunity to be physically digging in the dirt, Ory recommends joining a community garden for the added benefit of social engagement. On top of eating better and moving more, social engagement provides protective benefits that will enable you to be healthier and improve your quality of life, she says. Growing your social network can help prevent isolation, an issue for many older adults that is a significant risk factor for everything from depression to high blood pressure.

Prevent falls. Falls can cause a range of serious injuries, from fractures to head trauma, and result in health decline and even death. Besides exercises to improve balance, like tai chi, experts also suggest making repairs and home modifications to prevent a catastrophic spill. “You can get better lighting, you can fix uneven floor boards, you can get rid of throw rugs,” says Dr. Randy Wykoff, dean of East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health. Ory adds that small investments in modifications like adding a grab bar in the shower can save a person major medical bills later – and the more serious potential human cost of falling.

Kick the habit. Some older adults who smoke and haven’t developed lung cancer may be inclined to think there’s no reason to quit now. But public health experts say apart from the obvious – you’re lighting up money every day – risks don’t decline and the benefits of quitting don’t go away with age. “It’s never to late to quit,” says Uma Nair, an assistant professor in the University of Arizona’s College of Public Health, and assistant director of the Arizona Smokers Helpline, which helps people in the state quit. The same goes for breaking a myriad of other unhealthy habits from eating too much sugar to heavy drinking – that ultimately tax our wallets and well-being.

Taking these steps could improve your longevity and fiscal health as well. This is a great article written by Michael O. Schroeder for U.S News.

]]>http://www.xspeedtraining.com/2017/6-ways-to-age-well-and-save-money-doing-it/Active kids less likely to be depressed later onhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/XcelleratedSpeedTraining/~3/UCvnoD_gFzU/
Mon, 16 Jan 2017 19:45:43 +0000Tony Sabanoshttp://www.xspeedtraining.com/?p=3548Children who get more exercise may have fewer symptoms of depression than their peers who are less active, a recent study suggests.

Researchers used activity trackers to see how much physical activity children got, then interviewed kids and their parents to assess whether kids had symptoms of depression.

When kids got more moderate to vigorous physical activity at ages 6 and 8, they were less likely to have symptoms of major depressive disorder two years later, the study found.

“Our results indicate that increasing physical activity in children may prevent depression,” said study leader Dr. Tonje Zahl, of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.

While plenty of research has documented the potential for exercise to boost mood and help with depression for adults, less is known about the ways activity may influence mental health in young children. Often, depression and other mental health disorders don’t emerge until adolescence or early adulthood.

The study included a sample of children from Trondheim. Researchers surveyed parents to assess children’s mental health at age 6, then did follow-up interviews with parents and kids at age 8 and 10 to determine whether they had symptoms of depression.

Altogether, they had data on 795 kids at age 6, 699 at age 8 and 702 at age 10.

At ages 6 and 8, children were asked to wear accelerometers to track their movements for one week, removing the devices only to bathe. The accelerometers showed that at age 6, kids typically got about 1.19 hours a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity and had 8.58 hours of sedentary time.

At age 8, active time was 1.18 hours a day on average with 9.22 hours of sedentary time.

Researchers assessed kids for nine different symptoms of depression and found on average, kids had 0.52 symptoms at ages 6 and 10, with 0.46 at age 8.

Higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at 6 and 8 predicted fewer symptoms of major depressive disorder two years later, with every extra hour of such activity linked with a moderate decrease in symptoms.

The study didn’t find an association between inactivity and symptoms of depression, however.

One limitation of the study is that symptoms of depression don’t necessarily mean children would have a clinical diagnosis of depression, the authors note in Pediatrics.

In fact, only a few children had diagnoses of major depressive order: 0.3 percent of participants at age six, and 0.4 percent by age eight.

The study is also observational, and can’t show how any amount of exercise might cause kids to become depressed.

Even so, there are many possible biological explanations for why exercise might make depression less likely in kids, said Dr. Gary Goldfield, a psychology researcher at the University of Ottawa in Canada who wasn’t involved in the study.

For one thing, exercise releases several chemicals in the brain that can improve mood or reduce feelings of depression including endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, Goldfield said. Physical activity can also lead to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

“Physical activity can also reduce depression through many psychosocial processes such as reduced stress, increased social interaction, improved cognition, learning and academic performance as well as increased self-esteem, body image and quality of life which can positively impact mood,” Goldfield added by email.

The study results suggest that children, like adults, can get lasting benefits from regular exercise, said Dr. Larry Rosen, professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

“The message seems clear,” Rosen, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. “Exercise now keeps you feeling better later.”

This is a great article found on Fox News and published by Reuters. It just goes to show that parents should make there kids put down the phones and ipads and get out an exercise.

]]>http://www.xspeedtraining.com/2017/active-kids-less-likely-to-be-depressed-later-on/How to Survive the Holiday Insanityhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/XcelleratedSpeedTraining/~3/EYRwyLOKfuY/
Tue, 06 Dec 2016 21:30:43 +0000Tony Sabanoshttp://www.xspeedtraining.com/?p=3537It is that time of year when the hustle and bustle of Christmas begins to take over your livelihood. Every weekend there seems to be another party or gathering with all types of high calorie food and drinks. Then you have the infinite list of items that you must buy for those special individuals in your life. It all seems to snowball and your fitness level tends to deteriorate because you have made other things a priority. You have to take the time for yourself during all of this insanity, so you don’t end up looking like a Santa Clause stand in. If you have spent the last 6 months working on being a better you, why would you stop working on yourself during one of the highest caloric stretches of the season?

It takes a good dose of determination, motivation, and persistence to get through the next few months without overindulging, especially if you close circle of friends does not have the same mindset as you. While everyone around you seems to be pounding down the cookies and alcoholic beverages, you are wondering if there is any form of viable protein that you can consume to keep you on track. Here are some helpful way to get through the Holiday Insanity.

Choose your indulgences wisely. This time of year there are 100’s of different types of cookies, desserts, beverages, and delicious food options. It is up to you to make sure that you try to balance out your choice of carbohydrates with some form of protein to stave off eating endless amounts of carbohydrates. Try to limit yourself to one protein and one carbohydrate per time slot, this will help you control your carbohydrate urges while out and about.

Make sure you plan ahead. It becomes very easy to throw the first food item that comes within your realm down your throat if you haven’t eaten anything in the last four hours. If you are attending a holiday party make sure you try to keep you meal frequency and timing throughout the day, which will help you at the party. Also, if you know there is no good food choices at the party, eat before you go. This way you can snack on things rather than blow your entire day’s worth of calories in a matter of minutes.

Create a workout schedule for the month. If you make a workout schedule ahead of time and put it in your daily calendar, you are less likely to let it fall by the wayside when your schedule becomes hectic. You might have to wake up a little earlier to fit the workout in, but this way it is done for the day. Most times if you leave your workout until after work, you will push it off because other things have taken priority. If you cannot get to the gym at least try to get in a 15 minute bodyweight workout at home. This requires no equipment and you do not have to drive to any location. It could consist of things like push-ups, crunches, planks, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, etc.

Find a workout partner. This could be someone you know or see at the gym during your normal routine, or it could be a co-worker who helps hold you accountable to getting your workout in. You could have a weekly check-in to see how many workouts you both have in for the week or invite them to try out your location or vice versa. Sometimes a change of scenery and knowing someone is waiting for you helps keep you on task. You could also hire a Certified Personal Trainer to make sure that you are managing your time and workouts effectively.

Prioritize your time. During this time of year it is very easy to say yes to everyone who asks you to attend a gathering, pick up an item, participate in a cookie exchange, etc. It is alright to say no to people, they will understand if you cannot attend everything that takes place during this two month span. You have to make sure you are keeping your sanity and sometimes saying no is the best way to do that. Pick and choose your events and tasks wisely. Make sure that you carve out time for just you to enjoy the holiday season rather than stressing yourself out about all you have to get done. This time of year is especially important for keeping your health and wellness goals in check. It becomes easy to become rundown and pick up some sort of viral illness due to all of the individuals you will come in contact with over the next several weeks. It is in your best interest to head to bed a little earlier to help during this insane time of year.

If you have more questions or need help with your fitness regimen, let Xcellerated Speed Training guide you through this holiday time.

]]>http://www.xspeedtraining.com/2016/how-to-survive-the-holiday-insanity/How to Avoid Weight Regain, According to Sciencehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/XcelleratedSpeedTraining/~3/q7-8yS0LOEk/
Thu, 03 Nov 2016 19:35:06 +0000Tony Sabanoshttp://www.xspeedtraining.com/?p=3531Regardless of where you are on your weight-loss journey, you’re likely living with the constant fear of gaining it all back. Your worry is not unfounded: Research suggests men and women on most traditional diets drop 5 to 10 percent of their original weight within the first six months, but less than 5 percent maintain that weight loss over time. Even worse, over two-thirds of dieters regain more than they lost. No wonder folks stay up late at night worrying if weight creep is lurking around the corner.

If you’re one of them, relax. There’s no need to stress about this if you’re using the right science-based strategy. Here are six key steps you can take to create a powerful foundation for long-term weight maintenance success:

1. Convert the willpower stereotype into a ‘wellpower strategy.’

A newly released national survey found that Americans feel that a lack of willpower is the most significant barrier to achieving and maintaining weight loss. These study participants also felt that obese people should be able to shed weight on their own by eating less and moving more. These findings are alarming since they fly in the face of evidence-based science. Here’s the truth: Gaining excess weight is caused by a complex interplay between genetics and environment. The newly emerging science of epigenetics has unmistakably shown that hundreds of obesity-prone genes can be activated by a spectrum of conditions, from childhood abuse and trauma to the nutrition status of grandparents.

It’s time to stop blaming yourself and others for a lack of willpower. Appreciate that relying solely on eating less and moving more is too simplistic and trivializes substantial challenges to weight maintenance, such as impaired mental health and compromised socioeconomic status. Let’s strive for a holistic, integrative “wellpower strategy” that honors and works with your unique mind-body history, as well as your living and working environment.

2. Use your head.

You’re not a robot. You can’t just get up one day and eat healthy foods in appropriate portions and miraculously become more physically active. You also need to engage your mind. This involves psychology, as well as brain science. New studies shed light on how our brains can help support weight maintenance:

In the first, scientists scanned chronic dieters’ brains with functional MRIs and found that some of them are literally hard-wired to maintain their weight better than others. Peering into the brain’s white matter, the scans revealed a “super highway” between an area that perceives reward and one that provides a braking system. Successful weight maintainers showed greater connectivity, coherence and integrity between these two brain regions. In other words, their brains’ braking systems successfully say, “Hold it right there” as soon as their reward systems launch with, “I’m stressed out of my mind and want that candy now!” Not surprisingly, these master maintainers had lower body fats as well better weight maintenance.

In the second study, researchers found that for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight lost, appetite increased enough to drive people to eat an extra 100 calories a day. This is apparently a primal biological feedback control of energy intake that kicks in when weight loss occurs.

Worried you may not be optimally hard-wired for weight maintenance? Fretting about your own body’s push to drive you to regain? No need to stress – there are ways to improve your own hard-wiring and cerebral control systems to keep you on track. Read on.

3. Practice mindfulness.

Meditate your way to a more effective brain. Neuroscientists have demonstrated that a consistent mindfulness practice promotes neurogenesis (the creation of new brain cells), which enhances learning, memory and emotion regulation – something you may need when a bad day tempts you to reach for the chip bag. Other research shows that meditation – including transcendental meditation – can also lead to a thickening of the brain’s pathways, meaning you can improve the communication between the brain break and the runaway reward system.

4. Define your ‘power why.’

Don’t launch into a new lifestyle program without first connecting with the reason(s) you want to change. Go deeper than the usual “I want to be healthy” retort. Visualize your goal. Do you see yourself hiking, biking or running with your friends and family? Looking and feeling energetic and happy? Being there for your kids and grandchildren? Acing that promotion because you’re filled with confidence? Being fit and healthy enough to live your dreams? Once you identify what’s really driving you, test it out to see if it can keep you on track in the face of temptation. If not, keep refining your “power why.” It will anchor you in the present, support your mindfulness practice and allow you to supervene over any biological drive to regain the original weight by encouraging you to patiently, persistently practice your healthy lifestyle habits.

5. Nourish your brain.

Just as with meditation and physical activity, a healthy diet will lead to a more effective, focused brain because it, too, promotes neurogenesis. You’ll also improve the health of your gut’s microbiome, or the 100 trillion friendly bacteria than exert a powerful influence on everything from immune function to your ability to maintain weight.

6. Move to maintain.

Getting more physically active isn’t just about burning calories. It’s about encouraging the growth of more brain cells to improve neural pathways, enhance vigilance and promote the optimal ability to stay on track. Both the practice of mindfulness and regular physical activity counter the body’s primal directive to regain weight. This has been demonstrated by the over 7,000 participants in the National Weight Control Registry, an ongoing prospective study of people who have maintained, on average, a 50-pound weight loss for 10 years or more. Over the past 20 years, these study participants have demonstrated that their consistent healthy lifestyle habits override alterations in appetite that could result in weight gain.

Successful long-term weight maintenance becomes a reality the moment you utter, “I am going to shed these extra pounds and get healthier” – and then commit to an integrative, mindful wellpower strategy. This is a great article written by Pam Peeke, M.D. of the US News.